I'll Always Love You
by private investigator 726
Summary: Wally would never admit his love for Artemis. But when a mission goes wrong and Artemis is hurt, will he realize the price he will pay if he hides his feelings from her? Spitfire Oneshot


**Spitfire Oneshot. Dedicated to Stronger123, who (unofficially) requested this lovely oneshot. I would say you're awesome, but I already got burned last time I said that, so I am going to settle for… amazing :) **

**Brian Music: **

**Little Things- 1 Direction**

**Summer Love- 1 Direction**

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, wish I owned 'em, but I don't…**

**I'll Always Love You**

The Team gathered in the main room. Batman was standing in front of a large screen, waiting for everyone to get assembled. He gestured to the screen as he spoke.

"Count Vertigo, Ivy, Wotan and Ultra-Humanite seem to be taking down a warehouse full of…boxes." Robin laughed as he spoke.

"What's in the…_boxes_?" Batman gave him look, silencing him immediately.

"We don't know. They were illegally shipped here and we have no access to the contents. You have a 2-in-1 mission here. Find out what's in the boxes and stop The Injustice League from getting their hands on whatever it is. Radio us as soon as you know the contents." Connor looked up and considered the line-up of villains on the screen. He bared his teeth.

"I hate monkeys." Megan put her hand on his shoulder, speaking soothingly.

"You can take out Vertigo. We'll take care of the monkey." Wally's eyes widened.

"_We'll_ take care of the monkey?!" Artemis elbowed him hard in the ribs.

"Yes, _we_ will take care of the monkey. Now shut it, Baywatch." Wally stuck his tongue out and sulked as the Team rushed to the Bioship.

The Team emerged silently from the Bioship. Miss Martian connected everyone telepathically. She looked at Aqualad pointedly.

_So, what's the plan? _Aqualad pointed at Robin as he spoke (or thought, in this case).

_Robin, you can sneak around the easiest. You go and try to find out what's in the warehouse. Alert the Justice League as soon as possible. The rest of will try our best to hold off The Injustice League until the League comes and helps us, because the rest of can only hold the Injustice League for so long. _Robin nodded and disappeared without a sound. The rest of the team crept behind Robin. He entered the warehouse and looked around. He turned towards the Team.

_No one's here. This is way too easy. I-wait, what was that sound outside? Check._ The team crept outside, Artemis staying in the warehouse as Robin's cover. The Team walked out and was met with The Injustice League. Count Vertigo smiled.

"Well, what do we have here?" Wally scowled.

"Five people that hate all your guts." Vertigo laughed before speaking.

"Temper, temper. Children have an abundance of it." The Injustice League crept closer. Ivy wiggled her fingers menacingly. Thin vines snaked up from the ground, catching on the Team ankles. Miss Martian's eyes glowed green as she willed the vines to uncoil and release her friends. Vertigo activated his headgear, aiming for Superboy. Aqualad assisted Superboy in his battle, pulling Maneuver 7, but to no avail. Miss Martian dodged Ivy's vines as they shot up from the ground. Zatanna and Wotan engaged in the fierce combat of magical skills. Wally taunted Ultra-Humanite and ran in circles around him.

_Guys! Guys! Found out the contents of the boxes. High-tech guns and bombs, probably for the takeover of the Justice League by the Injustice League. There's so much ammo here, that one spark could detonate everything and the fallout could go one for miles. So, no fire Zatanna._ Zatanna heard this and literally rolled her eyes telepathically as she retaliated.

_Robin, I'm fighting Wotan. And he started the entire fire battle thing. And you can only fight fire with fire. Or A LOT of water. And I can't do that. _Aqualad ran to Zatanna's side and willed a large amount of water to drench the fire Wotan was defeating Zatanna with. Zatanna nodded her appreciation. Aqualad ran back to Superboy.

_Robin, Artemis, we need backup. Artemis, help Miss M. fight Ivy. Rob, we need backup with Vertigo. Did you contact the Justice League? _ Artemis ran to Ivy, notching an arrow in her bow as she ran.

_Yeah, Rob got a hold of the Justice League. They're gathering the members needed to secure the Injustice League. _She shot an explosive arrow at an incredibly thick vine that was getting the best of Miss M. Ivy screamed as the arrow pierced her plant's think skin. She glared at Artemis.

"You will pay for that, archer." A set of very thick vines with inch-long thorns wrapped around Artemis's body. She screamed as the thorns pierced her skin. Miss Martian tried to will he plants to remove themselves from Artemis, but a plant wrapped itself around her neck, causing her to fall unconscious in the mud. Zatanna heard her friends screams and turned, ready to sprint to help them, but Wotan noticed her distraction and took advantage of it. A gold rope wrapped around Zatanna and swung her around, the rope tightening as each rotation was completed. Zatanna struggled fruitlessly, finally losing conscious. Wally, immediately hearing Artemis's screams, had no hesitation of abandoning his mission with Ultra-Humanite. He sped toward Ivy, dodging the vines that grew in his way. He kicked her in the back, causing the plants that had a hold on Artemis to let go. Wally rushed to Artemis's side. Time seemed to slow as he saw her battered, broken body. He knelt at her side, brushing her hair away from her forehead as he examined her wounds. She was not in good shape. Anger coursed through his body as he fully comprehended what Ivy had just done to Artemis. He stood and looked at Ivy, his voice low.

"You. Will. Pay." He sped toward her. He noticed the doubt in her eyes before he punched her in the face, causing her to fall into the mud. Ivy spat mud from her mouth and stood, her eyes glinting.

"You want to play rough, hm? I'll show you." She threw a punch and caught Wally in the stomach. Wally tried to block, but her hands slipped through. He tried to kick her. She smile and grabbed his leg, flipping him backwards. He landed hard on his back, coughing as he sat up. She put her foot on his chest as she whispered,

"Never challenge someone you could lose to. Because you always lose to them." She smiled as she pulled her fist back to punch Wally in the face. Her fist hurtled toward him. Wally closed his eyes, readying himself for impact. But it never came. He opened his eyes. A hand in a black glove had caught her hand before she could make contact. He turned and saw the Dark Knight was Standing behind him. He turned to Ivy, seeing the fear in her eyes.

"Who's losing now?" he murmured as Batman knocked Ivy out. Batman helped Wally up, the latter seeing the Justice League wrapping up the battle the Team had started. He ran to Artemis's side, taking her hand. She was out cold, blood all over her body. He wiped a trickle of red from her forehead and turned to Batman.

"Please. We have to go." Batman was slightly surprised. Wally had never sounded so desperate in his life. Batman nodded and gestured to Zatara, who was helping his daughter up. He gently pushed his daughter toward the Team as they gathered around Wally. Zatara raised his arms.

"Tropelet meht ot eht evac won." There was a flash of light. When the Team opened their eyes, they were at the cave. Wally ran to the med bay, Artemis in his arms. Batman followed.

Wally sat in a chair, his head in his hands, the steady beep of the heart monitor jarring his nerves. Robin put his hand on Wally's shoulder, causing the latter to look up.

"We're going to go home. You can have some private time with Artemis, but I'd recommend you go to bed too. Those wounds aren't going to sit well if you don't." Robin gestures to the nasty shoulder wound. Wally nodded wearily.

"Thanks Rob." Robin closed the door quietly. Wally looked at Artemis. Thoughts ran through his head as he heard her shallow breathing, her chest rising and falling with each breath. He gritted his teeth. He was exhausted, but Artemis had been through so much worse. He owed it to her. He stood and paced the room. Anger coursed through his body and he paced faster. _Why pick on Artemis? What was Ivy's problem? Artemis is no different than any of when it comes to skill. No, that's not true. She's an amazing archer, better than any of us._ Wally, in a fit of confusion and anger, punched the wall, leaving a dent. He turned to Artemis's bed and saw that she was watching. She tried to prop herself up into a sitting position, but the tubes running in and out of her arm prohibited her. She settled for lying down and looked slightly amused as she spoke.

"Does the fact that I'm an amazing archer make you that angry?" She gestured to the hole in the wall. Wally looked confused.

"Did I ever say that to you?" Artemis smiled, shaking her head.

"You were talking to yourself. And I happened to be awake." Wally smacked his forehead.

"Oh man, I forgot I tend to speak aloud what I' thinking." Artemis looked hurt.

"So, does that mean I'm not an amazing archer?" Wally sat next to her bed and took her hand.

"Yes. You really aren't an amazing archer." Artemis turned away. Wally put his hand on her cheek.

"You are an incredibly, astonishingly, crazy-good archer. I never have, and never will, meet an archer better than you." She looked at Wally, shocked.

"Really?" Wally tweaked her nose.

"Have I ever lied to you?" Artemis swatted at his hand as she spoke.

"Yes! And don't do that. It makes me feel like a little kid." Wally bowed mockingly.

"Whatever you say, Your Majesty." Artemis stuck her tongue out at Wally, but a small smile crept through, showing her true feelings. He brushed her hair away from her forehead. "Go to bed, you need the sleep."

"And you don't?" Wally smiled.

"I pull all-nighters all the time. No big deal." Artemis nodded sleepily. He kissed her forehead gently.

"Sweet dreams, princess." Artemis smacked him sleepily. He doffed an imaginary hat at her and closed the door to the med bay. He walked down the hall, thinking to himself.

_Does this make us a couple?_

_ No. We still have a lot to talk about._

_ But I still love her._

_ And that'll never change. _


End file.
